Present For Mischief

September 24, 2008

Syria has made peace with Lebanon. That was the news of two months ago. The two states now love each other so much that they are now, for the first time in their history, actually establishing diplomatic relations and will exchange ambassadors.

Not so fast. The (Beirut) Daily Star and The Jerusalem Post report that, aside from Syrian agents within Lebanon, Damascus has now put 10,000 soldiers on its northern border with Lebanon. To curb smuggling, says the Assad regime. This is not a plausible explanation: smuggling is protected business in the Arab world, and nowhere more then between these two states.

The fact is that Syria can't stop its desire to absorb Lebanon. Syrian troops are present for mischief. And, by the way, is Secretary Rice still eager to hand over the Golan Heights to Assad?